Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão met with the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Korea, Nam Sung Hyun, to discuss bilateral cooperation in reforestation, planting trees to preserve the mountains and tackling desertification in Timor-Leste. The meeting took place on January 11th at the Government Palace in Dili. 
The Head of Government expressed his satisfaction with this partnership with Korea. It explained that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry and the Secretary of State for Forestry will prepare a development plan for this project to begin in 2025.
This plan will be developed with the support of Korean reforestation experts to assess the species best suited to the country and the best areas for planting.
The Korean Minister said that through this cooperation, Korea intends to share its 50 years of experience in reforestation and forest preservation.
The Prime Minister also expressed his gratitude to the Korean Government and private sector for the opportunity offered to thousands of Timorese to acquire new skills and work experience in South Korea through the labour cooperation program. 
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, Marcos da Cruz, the Secretary of State for Forestry, Fernandinho Vieira, the South Korean Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Shin Man Taek, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation attended the meeting.